Gautam Buddha International Airport is convenient for Buddhists

The private sector expects the Gautam Buddha International Airport to become a hub for Buddhists as soon as it becomes operational.

For this, the private sector has emphasized on the need to fly directly from Bhairahawa to the country where Buddhists live. The private sector has stated that Lumbini, the birthplace of the Buddha, will be developed as a center for Buddhists in the coming days.

Chandra Dhakal, senior vice-president of the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI), said that Lumbini, the birthplace of Gautam Buddha, could be branded as a center for Buddhists as the airport was opened for tourists. He said, “More than half a billion people in the world are followers of Buddhism. If we could expand the direct air network to Buddhist countries, Lumbini could develop into a hub for the world’s Buddhists. ”

According to the World Population Review, by 2022, there will be 6.6 percent of the total population, or 506 million Buddhists in the world.
On Monday, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Lumbini, the birthplace of the Buddha, spread religious and cultural tourism in the world, said Chandra Prakash Shrestha, president of the Siddhartha Hotel Association of Nepal (SAN). He said, “The arrival of the Indian Prime Minister in Lumbini, the birthplace of the Buddha, on the day of Buddha Purnima and the message has spread around the world that Lumbini will be developed as a center for Buddhists in the days to come.”

Shrestha said that the development, promotion and publicity will be done by expanding air operations and creating an integrated package of Buddhist areas and heritages of Nepal and India. Under the association, Rs 20 billion has been invested in 146 big and small hotels in Bhairahawa and another Rs 15 billion is being invested in hotels.

In 2017, 160,832 tourists visited Nepal during this period, while in 2018, a total of 2483 Indian tourists visited Nepal. According to the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, 200,000 Indians and 173,000 from third countries visited Lumbini in 2019. 1.5 million Nepalis visit Lumbini annually. In 2020, 40,000 people visited Nepal and in 2021, 64,000 people visited Nepal. In the last four months of 2022, 47,000 Indian tourists have visited Nepal.

Director General of the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal Pradip Adhikari said that commercial flights of Gautam Buddha International Airport have started. The airport, built with a total investment of Rs 40 billion by the Asian Development Bank and the Government of Nepal, is important for religious tourists. Out of which, ADB has provided 12.75 million concessional and 42.75 percent loan assistance. OPEC has also provided Rs 15 million for the construction of the airport. The airport, which was started in 2014, is expected to be completed by the end of 2017, but it was delayed for five years due to various reasons. The airport, funded by the Asian Development Bank and OPEC (Fuel Exporting Countries), was targeted to be built within three years.

Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba inaugurated the Gautam Buddha International Airport in Bhairahawa on Monday. Jazeera Airways Airbus a320Neo landed for Kubet City from Bhaurahawa at 7:08 am on Monday, while Jajira Air flew to Kubet via the runway of Gautam Buddha International Airport in Bhairahawa.

Addressing the inauguration ceremony, Prime Minister Deuba said that the opening of Gautam Buddha International Airport would go a long way in introducing the holy birthplace of Gautam Buddha, the pioneer of peace, to the world and promoting religious and cultural tourists in the region. Prime Minister Deuba said, “Operation and expansion of the airport will make a positive contribution to the development of the country’s economy.”

Gautam Buddha International Airport, the second international airport in Nepal after 73 years, has come into commercial operation. At the same time, direct flights from Bhairahawa to third countries have been expanded. The Tribhuvan International Airport came into operation in 1949 as the first international airport.